Preparing for an appointment

You're likely to start by seeing your primary care doctor. However, you may be referred to a doctor trained in treating brain and nervous system disorders (neurologist).

Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

What you can do

When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as fasting for a specific test.

Keep a headache diary

One of the most helpful things you can do is keep a headache diary. Each time you get a headache, jot down these details that might help your doctor determine your type of headache and discover possible headache triggers.

• Date. Charting the date and time of each headache can help you recognize patterns.
• Duration. How long does each headache last?
• Intensity. Rate your headache pain on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the most severe.
• Triggers. List possible triggers that might have caused your headache, such as certain foods, sounds, odors, physical activity or oversleeping.
• Symptoms. Did you have any symptoms before the headache, such as aura?
• Medications. List all drugs, vitamins and supplements, including dosages, even if they're unrelated to your headache.
• Relief. Have you had any pain relief, from complete pain relief to none?

Take a family member or friend to your appointment, if possible, to help you remember the information you receive.

List questions to ask your doctor. For cluster headaches, basic questions include:

• What's likely causing my symptoms?
• What other possible causes are there?
• What tests do I need?
• Is my condition likely temporary or chronic?
• What treatment do you recommend?
• What other treatments are there?
• I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
• Are there restrictions I need to follow?
• Should I see a specialist?
• Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What websites do you recommend?

Don't hesitate to ask other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you questions, such as:

• When did your symptoms begin?
• Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
• Do your symptoms tend to occur at the same time of day? Do they occur during the same season each year?
• Does alcohol appear to cause your symptoms?
• How severe are your symptoms?
• What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
• What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?